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The law of the\xa0Lord\xa0is perfect,\xa0refreshing the soul. The statutes of the\xa0Lord\xa0are trustworthy, making wise the simple. The precepts of the\xa0Lord\xa0are right, giving joy\xa0to the heart. The commands of the\xa0Lord\xa0are radiant, giving light to the eyes. They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold, they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the honeycomb. (Psalm 19:7,8,10)

There is freedom in the words of Scripture and nourishment for our souls.\xa0 When we read the Bible we are engaging in a feast.\xa0 We are feasting on the Word of God!\xa0 Just as honey is sweet to the taste and nourishes our body, God feeds us through the truth of His Word, a sweeter word than honey from the honeycomb.\xa0 We need only posture ourselves to receive what He freely offers us.

The Old Testament instructs the Israelites to \u201cFix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Teach them to your children,\xa0talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up\u201d (Deuteronomy 11:18-19).\xa0 The essence of these words is to direct the mind and thoughts toward the word of God repeatedly and regularly. \xa0In so doing we are turning away from the patterns and habits of this world and are being transformed day by day as we actively engage with the words of Scripture by reading, talking about, meditating on, and praying through them. \xa0

In Scripture, Jesus makes it clear that the truth will set us free.\xa0 Jesus said, \u201cYou will know the truth and the truth will make you free\u201d (John 8:32). \xa0We can easily get tripped up in our spiritual walk simply because of lack of knowledge of the truth.\xa0 Just as athletes must train their bodies to excel at their sport, we must train our minds to think as the Spirit does.\xa0 Paul tells us in Philippians 4:8 \u201cwhatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable\u2014if anything is excellent or praiseworthy\u2014think about such things.\u201d\xa0 When we focus on the truths found in Scripture and on God\u2019s promises for this life and the life to come we start to be formed more and more into His likeness, our identity is found increasingly in Christ and our thoughts are renewed by the truth of His Word each day.

The Israelites were to take the words of God with them wherever they went by fixing them in their hearts and minds.\xa0 When we repeatedly immerse ourselves over and over with Scripture it will start to seep into the very core of our being, teaching, convicting, and training us in godly living.\xa0 Repetition channels the mind in a specific direction, ingraining habits of thought.\xa0 Scientific research has more recently proven the principle that has been known for centuries, that is, that regular repetition of specific words and deeds will over time result in modified behaviour.\xa0 That is why speaking positive affirmations daily can be so life changing.\xa0 It is also why repeatedly watching violence on TV trains the mind toward destructive thought patterns.

Reading the Bible isn\u2019t simply about \u201cgetting in\u201d a daily dose of Scripture. Each time we open Scripture it is as though we are opening it fresh for the first time. \xa0When we focus on not simply the act of reading Scripture but on the words themselves and the meaning behind them, we start to change from the inside out. \xa0As we read and engage in Scripture, we learn about ourselves and God, and the Holy Spirit teaches, rebukes, corrects and trains us in righteous living so that we are equipped for the works that God is calling us to (see 2 Timothy 3:16-17). Scripture is meant to be chewed on until it enters our most inward parts, repeated in our minds and out loud, taught to our children, rehearsed in the actions of our lives. The Word of God is perfect,\xa0refreshing our soul, it is trustworthy, giving us wisdom, it is right, filling our heart with joy, it is radiant, giving light to the eyes.\xa0 Because as we fill ourselves with the truth, it starts to pour out of us to such an extent that even our eyes shine brighter and there is something about us that others simply \u201cneed\u201d to have for themselves.\xa0 That \u201csomething\u201d is the truth that is only found in the Word of God.\xa0 The truth that when we take it in, is as food for our soul, as the blood in our veins, running through what we think, say and do.\xa0 Scripture is where every other discipline flows from.\xa0